Air motor



Dec. 5; 1944. F. H. w. MILLER AIR MOTOR Filed April 5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

EeEpER/L'K MILLER wad 4 14 TTOENE Y5 F. H. W.VMILLER 2,364,306

AIR MOTOR Filed April 5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. fkEDEz/cx H Wlmzm 147" T GENE Y5.

Patented Dec. 5, 1944 UNITED QFFlC-E A'W'MQTLQB- Frederibk'..H2 Miller, Nana; Calif.

I Applihatiom-April 1943;.Serial1Nm 48139.32

.7. Claims... (o1. 121-591) The present invention relates to improvements inan air motor and it consists o-f'the combinestions; constructions and arrangements hereinafit'erd'escribed and" claimed.

object -ofmy invention is to-prov'ide an air motor in whichthe cylinder blockis-composed of radially extending cylinders that rotateon ashationa-ry valve-whereby thevalve performs-two runctions in that it'supports the rotating cylinder block and also feeds air or other gases under pressure to the/ cylinders;

Aufur-ther' objectof my invention is to provide a. device of: thetype described in which the cylinder port's: cooperate with the valve ports for opening and closing the latter in proper sequence; thus doingoway with the-necessity of providing p ppet valvesand -ahy'mechanism for operating the valves.

Novel-means is vemployed .for converting thereciprocating 'motion 'of the :pistons intoa rotary motion of the cylinders: and driven shaft. The motor is simpl'e in construction andis durab1e-and= efl'l'cieht forthe purpose intended.

\ Other objects" and advantages will appear in thetollovving specification and the novel -fea;- cures-of the device Will be particularlypoirrted out in the appended claims;

invention isi-llustrated in the accompany: ing drawingswforming apart of this application;

inwhich: l

Figure: I is: a vertical'tssection through the-dcvioetaken along-the Iine I -I' of FigureZ;

Figureaz. is amransverse-sectiorr taken along the line 2-- -2*of'Figure11i; I o

t Figure. 3'; is a central transverse section taken alongrthelinefie-fi of 'Figure l; and

Figure.- 41 is: a perspective view of the valve;

While I have shown-only the preferred form ofv my invention, it should be understoodthat various; change vors modifications may be made within the scope ofrithei appended claims without departing from the spirit of -the invention.

Ina-carrying: out my invention I provide 'a base. indicatedl-generally at A in Fi'gure, 1'. This-base supportsJa. "motor housing B-"that isin two parts. The part Bil has a circular flangel -and thepart BZihasasimflar flange Zg-thesefiangesbeing: secured together byabolts. 3. The part Bl carriesa huh-portion At-that receives the reduce-ci -portion 5. of; a, stationaryvawe C7. The valve body B has two recesses 1;. audit :in it periphery; see E-ig ures Stand .4. air" inlet pipe .9 '-communicates"with theinlet recessv I and .an air exhaust ipe MM communicates. withxthe exhaust recess 8; "The. valve does mot; rotatein :the motor housing Ba- If. desired; =a1,coverplate: I :Hmay he secured: toithe hub 24 Icy-bolts 172- rand-johns: a. partmf: the .statiDnahysmQbOlf; housing;B;.

i'llhe zoylinder 5102112151 indicated: generally atyni The block: has/tour; radiiar11y..- extending cylinders I13;- witir ancentralvnecess |1l= that; receives: and permits the v cylinderrblock to:rotate'onthewaive body periphery; see: Figure: 3; Each cylinder 13:15 identical to all ofzthe-zothezts andithe. cylinders-tare disposed f apart Figure. 11 shows: thecylinders k3,: provi'ded withainvvardly extending; slots lbiorra purposemresent-lv tombeadesoribed;

.Ristonsrl-E:aneslidabiy mounted. in thetcyilinders. and: since. all Qfi the pistons. are identical; =a-,-de.-

I scriptionaofi onewilhsufficer-for all; Que of the-piss mils-is; shownainncross-r-seotion in .Figure 3 and it comprises a:- cylindricalrbodyi=6, with-;an--integra1= partition: L11. Aurubber-rshock absorbing; cushion 1-8; is.-:;p1aced-.:in: the -end:.of the. piston disposed nearest; the, valve .body 16;. Th rubber cushion.- bears;againstvthe partition,171:. A split ring 1&- is; received imam annulan groove. 2 0' and holdstherubber cushion inv place; The. pistonr has .a, wrist: pinopenine 21 and a wrist-phi- 212 is mounted therein. Figures; 1 and .2: show .a. stub shaft 23: -ecoentricall-y mounted-ion; thebody-fi anda carrying-arotatable shaft .24.. The: rotatable shaft .24. hasah offset sleeve 2.5 rigidly seouredthereto. A main connecting rod: 26. leads. from awrist pin. 2a,..and. hasa stub shaf-t 21, received in the sleeve .251and1 kexedstheretorby a pin..28. The connecting. rod. 26; willochuse. the,.s1ee.ve..25 andshaftfl to retate-withthe.cylinderblock D...

.jllhe shaft .241 carriesv threeother, sleeve 2'9 thatare. mountedlaround. the shaft. and. spaced 90?iromjeaoh.other. .Qther' connecting rods 311. extend from the. other wrist pins. 22 and. carry stub shafts "31' that are rotatably received in the offset sleeves '29. The motor housing part B2 has a reoess.32 for receiving the offset sleeves 25 anon; andiyhas. an opening asthrough which. theshaft'fl extends. A ball bearing3.5.rotatablysflPhortsthe shaft in the opening;

.Theshaftfl maybe used for driving any machine desired; Forexample a puIIeyBS; see Fig;- ure .1, may be mounted on the shaft and this pulley connected: t'o.;a pulley'of a device toybe operat'ed by means of'a belt, not shown.

From the foregoing description of the variousparts of"the'-device,-the operation thereof maybe readiiyunderstood.

Reference to Figur-e 3-shows the left -hand oyi inder tic-with its piston E midway through its:

55 power stroke Airvor iiqui'd entering the recess:

2 1 through the pipe 9 will move the piston E outwardly in the cylinder l3a and this through the connecting rod 30 will cause the cylinder to swing downwardly and rotate the cylinder block in a counterclockwise direction when looking at Figures 2 and 3. When the cylinder reaches the position I311, which is 90 from the position 13a, the opening 34 in the cylinder bottom will be out of communication with the inlet recess 1 and the piston will be ready for its inward or exhaust stroke. As soon as the piston starts to move inwardly for any appreciable distance, the opening 34 in the cylinder will communicate with the exhaust recess 8 and permit the spent air in the cylinder to exhaust into the recess and out through the exhaust pipe ID. The exhaust stroke continues as the cylinder passes position I30 and is completed just before the cylinder reaches the position I317. The cylinder port or opening 34 is cut off from the exhaust opening 8 in the valve C when the cylinder is in the position I 3b. A further slight counterclockwise movement of the cylinder will bring its opening 34 again into registration "with the inlet recess 1 and the compressed air will move the piston outwardly. The cylinder now reaches its starting position at l3a.

The four cycles will repeat themselves continuously so long as the motoroperates; Since there are four cylinders, there will be four power impulses for each rotation of the cylinder block. The driven shaft 24 will therefor receive four power impulses for each revolution. The rubber cushion l8 absorbs any shock from the compressed air-suddenly entering the cylinder and striking the piston. The eccentric position of the fixed shaft 23 on the valve body 6 determines the length of the strokeof the pistons. The slots l5 permit the wrist pins 22 to move therein.

As already stated, the motor shaft 24 can be mechanically connected'to any device that is desired to be operated. The positive connection between the rod 26 and the sleeve 25 assures the rotation of the shaft 24 with the cylinder block. All types of moving valves are dispensed with and there is no valve mechanismnecessary. The cylinder ports 34 open and close'the valve ports I and 8 in proper sequence to cause the motor to operate. This makes the device very simple to construct and operate. The speed of rotation is controlled by the pressures of the air entering the inlet pipe 9. A valve 9a controls thefiow of air in the pipe 9 and thus controls the motor speed. The front of .the motor is considered to be where the air inlet and outlet pipes 9 and enter the reduced portion of the valve. The motor rotates in a clockwise direction when looking at the front of the motor, and in a counterclockwise direction when looking at the rear of the motor or when looking at Figures 2 and 3.

- I claim:

1. An air motor comprising a stationary valve having a cylindrical portion with diametrically opposed recesses in its periphery, an air inlet communicating with one recess, an air outlet communicating with the, other recess, a cylinder block having radially extending cylinders communicating with a central opening in the block that rotatably receives the cylindrical valve portion, pistons slidably mounted in the cylinders, a stub shaft eccentrically mounted on the valve,

'a driven shaft concentrically and rotatably mounted on the stub shaft, sleeves disposed around-the driven shaft and having their axes parallel therewith,,there being a like-number of sleeves as there are cylinders, and connecting rods having trunnions journalled in the sleeves and being operatively connected tothe pistons, one of said trunnions being rigidly secured to its' sleeve, whereby a rotation of the cylinder block on the valve will cause the connecting rods to rotate the driven shaft.

2. An air motor comprising a stationary valve having a cylindrical portion with diametrically opposed recesses in its periphery, an air inlet communicating with one recess, an air outlet communicating with the other recess, a cylinder block having radially extending cylinders communicating with a central opening in the block "that rotatably receives the cylindrical valve portion, pistons slidably mounted in the cylinders, a stub shaft eccentrically mounted on the valve, a driven shaft concentrically and rotatably mounted on the stub shaft, sleeves disposed around the driven shaft and having their axes parallel therewith, there being a like number of sleeves as there are cylinders, and connecting rods having trunnions journalled in the sleeves and being operatively connected to the pistons, one of said trunnions being rigidly secured to its sleeve, whereby a rotation of the cylinder block on the valve will cause the connecting rods to rotate the driven shaft, said cylinders having radially extending slots therein extending inwardly from the outer ends of the cylinders, the operative connecting between the pistons and the connecting rods including wrist pins carried by the pistons and slidable in the slots, said wrist pins being connected to the connecting rods.

3. An air motor comprising a base, a cylindrical housing rigidly secured thereto, a stationary valve centrally mounted in the housing and having a cylindrical portion with diametricall oppossed recesses in its periphery, a longitudinally extending air inlet in the valve communicating with one recess, an air outlet in the valve paralleling the inlet and communicating with the other recess, a cylinder block having radially ex-- tending cylinders communicating with a central opening in the block that rotatably receives the cylindrical valve portion, pistons slidably mounted in the cylinders, a stub shaft eccentrically mounted on the valve, a driven shaft concentrically and rotatably mounted on the stub shaft, sleeves disposed around the driven shaft and.

having their axes parallel therewith, there being a like number of sleeves as there are cylinders, and connecting rods having trunnions journalled in the sleeves and being operatively connected to the pistons, one of said trunnions being rigidly secured to its sleeve, whereby a rotation of thein the block that rotatably receives thecylin drical valve portion, pistons slidably mounted in the cylinders, a stub shaft eccentrically mounted" on the valve, a driven shaft concentrically and; rotatably mounted on the stub shaft, sleeves disposed around the driven shaft and having their. axes parallel therewith, there being a like riurnberof sleeves as there are cylinders, and connecting rods having trunnions journalled in the sleeves and being operatively connected to the pistons, one of said trunnions being rigidly secured to its sleeve, whereby a rotation of the cylinder block on the valve will cause the connecting rods to rotate the driven shaft, said cylinders having radially extending slots therein extending inwardly from the outer ends of the cylinders, the operative connecting between the pistons and the connecting rods including wrist pins carried by the pistons and slidable in the slots, said wrist pins being connected to the connecting rods,

5. In an air motor, a stationary valve having a cylindrical portion with diametrically opposed recesses in its periphery, an air inlet communicating with one recess, an air outlet communicating with the other recess, a cylinder block having radially extending cylinders communicating with a central opening in the block that rotatably receives the cylindrical valve portion, pistons slidably mounted in the cylinders, each piston having a cylindrical body, a transverse partition, and a shock absorbing member mounted in the piston between the partition and the inner end of the piston, said member being designed to absorb the shocks resulting from the inrush of compressed air into the cylinders and against the pistons, a stub shaft eccentrically mounted on the valve, a driven shaft concentrically and rotatably mounted on the stub shaft, sleeves disposed around the driven shaft and having their axes parallel therewith, there being a like number of sleeves as there are cylinders, and connecting rods having trunnions journalled in the sleeves and being operatively connected to the pistons, one of said trunnions being rigidly secured to its sleeve, whereby a rotation of the cylinder block on the valve will cause the connecting rods to rotate the driven shaft.

, 6. In an air motor, a stationary valve having a cylindrical portion with diametrically opposed recesses in its periphery, an air inlet communicating with one recess, an air outlet communicating with the other recess, a cylinder block having radially extending cylinders communicating with a central opening in the block that rotatably receives the cylindrical valve portion, pistons slidably mounted in the cylinders, each piston having a cylindrical body, a transverse partition, and a shock absorbing member mounted in the piston between the partition and the inner end of the piston, said member being designed to absorb the shocks resulting from the inrush of compressed air into the cylinders and against the pistons, a stub shaft eccentrically mounted on the valve, a driven shaft concentrically and rotatably mounted on the stub shaft,

sleeves disposed around the driven shaft and having their axes parallel therewith, there being a like number of sleeves as there are cylinders,

and connecting rods having trunnions journalled in the sleeves and being operatively connected to the pistons, one of said trunnions being rig-,

idly secured to its sleeve, whereby a rotation of the cylinder block on the valve will cause the connecting rods to rotate the driven shaft, said cylinders having radially extending slots therein extending inwardly from the outer ends of the cylinders, the operative connecting between the pistons and the connecting rods including wrist pins carried by the pistons and slidable in the slots, said wrist pins being connected to the connecting rods.

'7. An air motor comprising a stationary cylindrical valve having a pair of recesses in its periphery, a fluid inlet communicating with one recess anda fluid outlet communicating with the other recess, a cylinder block having radially extending cylinders communicating with a central opening in the block that rotatably receives the cylindrical valve, pistons slidably mounted in the cylinders, a stub shaft eccentrically mounted on the valve, a driven shaft rotatably mounted on the stub shaft, sleeves integral with and spaced around the rotatable shaft, connecting rods having trunnions journalled in the sleeves and being operatively connected to the pistons, one of said trunnions being rigidly secured to its sleeve.

FREDERICK H. W. MILLER. 

